Circular knitting machine for manufacture of stockings



p 3, 1958 I s. BILLI 3,399,551

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURE OF STOCKINGS Filed Jan. 6, 1966 14 Sheets-Sheet 1 A W W MI .i g

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G. BILL! Sept. 3, 1968 CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURE OF STOCKINGS I Filed Jan. 6, 1966 14 Sheets-Sheet 4 Q E s I 0M4 MK/4 m G. BILLI 3,3

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CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURE OF STOCKINGS Filed Jan. 6. 1966 14 Sheets-Sheet 6 MM M aw w- 3, 1968 G. BILLI 3,399,551

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURE OF STOCKINGS Filed Jan 6, 1966 14 Sheets-Sheet 7 wW,JMMA/ CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURE OF STOCKINGS Filed Jan. 6, 1966 14 Sheets-Sheet a Adm M W 3968 G. BILLI 3,399,551

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CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURE OF STOCKINGS Filed Jan. 6, 1966 14 Sheets-Sheet 12 P 3, 1963 5. BILLI 3,399,551

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURE OF STOCKINGS Filed Jan. 6. 1966 14 SheetSSheet 13 M MFA 70A- 6/0 0/0 6/11 Arryiv.

p 3, 1968 G. BILL. 3,399,551

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURE OF STOCKINGS Filed Jan. 6, 1966 14 Sheets-Sheet 1 H 25 azg I 38 v :9 H928 314 31s U )2 I W q 173\ 1 V Fig.2?

United States Patent 3,399,551 CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURE OF STOCKINGS Giorgio Billi, Viale Torricelli 23,

' Florence, Italy Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 727,079, Apr. 8, 1958. This application Jan. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 519,405 Claims priority, application Italy, Apr. 9, 1957, 572,765/57 2 Claims. (Cl. 66-108) This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 727,079, filed Apr. 8, 1958.

The invention relates to a circular knitting machine and more particularly to a circular knitting machine for the manufacture of ladies hosiery.

In the past, circular knitting machines of the abovementioned type had one or two feeds. In knitting hosiery it is desirable to have a multiplicity of feeds in order to increase production. The modern circular knitting machine forthe manufacture of hosiery is a complex mechanism'having little room around its relatively small cylinder for the parts necessary to knit fabric at more than two feeds and to obtain the necessary timed, cooperative action of all parts.

The machine, according to the invention, includes a needle cylinder, at least four yarn guides or sets of yarn guides cooperating with at least four feed stations, and at least four stationary switch cams combined with said cylinder, movable clearing cams, which are engaged and disengaged either to completely lift or not to completely lift the needles so as to clear or not to clear the stitch and to determine a pick-up of the yarn and, in addition at least two sets of slider cams for the selection of the needles for the purpose of forming tuck stitches. The arrangement is such that four feeds are employed during the forming of the tubular fabric for the form ing of a stocking and therefore four courses are formed. The sets of slider cams for forming the tuck stitches are arranged in such a way that they, together with the other cams, control the needles to form a course of plain stitches, a course of tuck stitches, another course of plain stitches and another course of tuck stitches, during each revolution of the needle cylinder.

For forming a stocking in which the heel is formed by distorting a straight tube and thereafter setting the same by thermo finishing, a reinforcement may be provided and withdrawing a second or splicing yarn in at least two of the feed stations, and cyclically in each revolution controlling the insertion and withdrawal of said second yarn in the needles within'a predetermined arc of the cylinder, which arc varies in accordance with the desired pattern of the reinforcement.

According to an embodiment of the invention, there are also provided two control stations for controlling the yarn guides and clearing cams at the two feed stations which are designed to feed the yarn for forming the plain stitches, two control stations for controlling the yarn guides at the other two feed station, and adjacent to the latter, two control units for the needle selecting jack slides to form the tuck stitches. In addition, there are provisions to arrange in each of at least two spaced feed stations, preferably those for forming the plain stitches, means to feed an additional splicing yarn along an arc of needles and to cut said yarn, so as to form, in a tubular leg, a spliced reinforcement designed to imitate the so-called heel pocket provided for in the stockings formed with alternate or reciprocating motion in conventional machines. The device which determines a supplemental. feed are at each revolution-provides for a rotary cylindrical cam rotating continuously and being axially slidable and to act as a false heel. This is accomplished by inserting 3,399,551 Patented Sept. 3, 1968 having a surface contour according to the profile of the reinforcement to be made. In addition, there is provided the necessary tappets or cam followers for controlling the yarn guides and the sinker cams for the purpose' of cyclically engaging or disengaging the supplementary feeds of the yarn for the spliced reinforcement. The ca-m followers are spaced apart circumferentially of the rotary and axially slidable cylindrical cams, and the feed devices of the yarn for the supplemental reinforcement are spaced apart with relation to the needle cylinder for the purpose of determining a displacement in the splicing yarn insertion and withdrawal corresponding to the angular spacing of the associated devices with respect to the axis of the needle cylinder.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a circular knitting machine for the production of hosiery having four or more feeding stations.

Another object is the provision of a circular knitting machine for the production of hosiery which allows for the speedy production of the tubular fabric by the rotation of the needle cylinder continuously in only one direction throughout the manufacture of the entire stocking.

The above objects as well as others together with the benefits and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon reference to the detailed description set forth below, particularly when taken in conjunction with the drawings annexed hereto in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, seen from below, of a ring provided with sinker control tracks;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic section of the needle cylinder showing the operating mechanism for the yarn guides;

FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 show developments of the needle cylinder with the cams in the three arrangements for forming an elastic welt for short stockings, for forming tuck stitching, and for forming plain stitching respectively;

FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 show developments similar to those of the preceding figures with the cams arranged to form the welt and initial leg portions of the stocking;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of the cover of the machine showing the yarn clamps and shears;

FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic front View of a second embodiment of the stocking machine showing its essential parts;

FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic horizontal'section taken along the line XI-XI of FIGURE 10;

FIGURES 12, 13 and 14 are vertical sections taken along the lines XIIXII, XIIIXIII and XIV-XIV of FIGURE 11;

FIGURES l5 and 16 are respectively. a horizontal section and an elevation taken along the line XV-XV of FIGURE 13 and the line XVIXVI of FIGURE 13;

FIGURES l7 and 18 are two transverse sections taken along the lines XVIIXVII and XVIII-XVIII of FIG URE 15 with FIGURE 18 showing additional parts;

FIGURE 19 is a diagrammatic view taken along line XIX-XIX of FIGURE 10; s

FIGURE 20 is a section taken along the broken lin XXXX of FIGURE 19;

FIGURE 21 is a section similar to. that of FIGURE 19 showing the devices for the controlling of the cams that form tuck stitching;

FIGURE 22 is a section taken along the line XXII- XXII of FIGURE 21;

FIGURE 23 is a diagrammatic view taken along the line XXIIIXXIII of FIGURE 21;

FIGURE 24 is a section taken along the line XXIV- XXIV of FIGURE 20 with the needle cylinder omitted;

FIGURE 25 is a partly sectioned side view of the needle cylinder taken along the line XXV-XXV of FIGURE 19 but on a smaller scale, showing a device for cutting and stopping the yarn in forming splicing;

'ice

FIGURE 26 is a development taken along the line XXVIXXVI of FIGURE 25;

FIGURE 27, 28, 29 and 30 are sections taken along tthe lines XXVII-XXVII, XXVIII-XXVIII, XXIX XXIX and XXX-XXX of FIGURE 26;

FIGURE 31 is a view taken along the line XXXI- XXXI of FIGURE 30.

With reference first to FIGURES 1-9, the machine comprises a needle cylinder 1, with needles 2, and needle jacks 3, sliding together with the needles in slots cut in the cylinder 1. Reference numeral 4 denotes the drive for the rotation of the cylinder 1. Reference numeral 5 denotes tthe stationary wall surrounding the needle cylinder and carrying the control means for the needles and jack butts. Reference numeral 6 denotes a sinker plate which is stationary and which controls the radial movement of the sinkers 7. 'To this end, the sinker plate 6 provides a guide groove or track which has four outwardly displaced profiles 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d which operate the sinkers in the manner known, it being noted that two feed machines have two such profiles.

Yarn guides 9 and 10 at each feed are provided to feed the yarn to the needles over pre-determined arcs of rotation of the needle cylinder, these yarn guides being lowered by springs 11 and raised by a linkage comprising push rods 12 connected to bell-crank levers 13 pivoted at 14 to the supports 15 which also form sliding guides for the rods 12. The bell-crank levers 13 are operated by flexible cables 16, for instance Bowden cables located in sheaths 16a which are fitted in stationary shoulders 17.

As shown in FIGURES 3-8, four cases 21, 22, 23 and 24 are provided for the four sets of yarn guides 25, 26, 27 and 28. Each of cases 22, 23 and 24 has at least two, or at most, four yarn guides, and main feed case 21 has five yarn guides, These yarn guides, when lowered, feed the yarn at the positions indicated by the arrows A1, A2, A3 and A4. Adjacent the four feed positions A1, A2, A3 and A4, are stationary stitch earns 31, 32, 33 and 34 which cooperate with the same number of stationary cams 31a, 32a, 33a and 34a. Adjacent the cams 31, 32 and 34 are clearing earns 35, 36 and 37 which are pivotally movable into position to raise and clear the needles before receiving the yarn at the feed position after which the needles are lowered by means of the stitch cams 31, 32, and 34 to close the latches and form the stitch. Between the cams 32 and 33 there is provided a set of clearing slide cams 39 which are of the type used to effect needle selection for the formation of tuck stitching. These cams 39 selectively raise needles which therefore clear and after receiving the yarn at feed position A3 are lowered by cam 33 to form a stitch. Another set of slide cams 40- is provided between the cams 34'and the cam 31 and this set of cams 40 selects the needles to form a row of stitches containing tuck stitches.

In addition to this general arrangement, two other earns 41 and 42 are provided, FIG. 4, for the formation of short stockings or mens socks, of which the welt is formed with an elastic yarn. Adjacent the cam 42, a yarn guide 43 feeds the elastic yarn 44 for the formation of this elastic welt. An additional cam 45 may be provided for the one-and-one selection of the needles, this cam being movable vertically. A cam 46 effects a one-and-one selection of the needles by engagement with a row of butts of two different lengths provided on the needle jacks.

For the formation of a stocking of conventional length, in addition to the earns 31 to 40 the conventional cams 47, 48, 49 (FIGURE 6) are provided in place of the cams 41,

42, 4s and 46.

The main feed A1, which is generally provided in the normal feed position of the machine, feeds yarn for the formation of plain stitches when the cam 35 is raised and for the formation of tuck stitches when the cam 35 is lowered and the needles are selected by cams 40. The feed A2 forms plain stitches when the cam 36 is raised, and forms a tuck stitch when the cam 36 is lowered. The feed A3 only forms tuck stitches when the needle selection cams 39 are withdrawn for this purpose and may form plain stitches when the cams 39 are inserted to raise all the needles. This condition is encountered in FIGURES 3 and 6 wherein feed A3 is inactive and wherein the needle butts arriving at cam 33 will be at a level lower than the level of the needles which, for instance, arrive at cam 32 and no stitches will be formed and no stitches will be cast off. Selective insertion of cams 39, will raise selected needles from the not raised needles as for instance shown in FIGURE 4 and insertion of all of earns 39 will raise all of the needles. When some or all of the cams 39 are inserted, the yarn guide of feed A3 must be lowered to permit the raised needles to pick up the yarn after casting off the previous loop, The feed A4 behaves like the feed A2 according to the position of the cam 37. It is apparent that the movements of the cams 35, 36, and 37 may be effected at any instant to raise the needles by engagement with the needle butts.

The stationary cams 31 to 34 operate to form plain stitches only when either the pivoted cams 35 to 37 are raised, or when all of the slide cams 39 and 40 are inserted. At the start of a feed the yarn guide is lowered before the corresponding pivoted cam is raised, or before the needles are raised by the cams 39 or 40. In this way the new yarn is picked up by, for example, ten to fifteen needles which do not clear. When any of the cams (36, 37 or the slide cams 39 and 40 is inserted, and with the raising of the needles to clear, the stitches are formed which firmly grip the yarn. When it is desired to inactivate the feed after at least ten to fifteen needles, which have not cleared, have passed the stitch cam the yarn guide is raised so that a sufiiciently long loose end of the yarn is bound in at the next feed.

The controlof the pivoted cams 35-37 and of the yarn guides, may be effected through the flexible cables 16, and 16a of FIGURE 2, and each cable is controlled in a known manner by the main cam drum of the machine with a pre-determined program for the formation of each article.

For the formation of short stockings or socks, the cam 41 lowers all the needles so that a one-and-one selection is effected by the cam 46. In this way, the elastic yarn 44 is fed without any of the needles clearing and the cam 42 lowers the needles after the feed of the elastic yarn. So as to knit it in, the cam 45 raises the needles exactly like the cam 46 but to clear and the stitch is formed by the cam 31. The needles which have not been raised by the cams 45 and 46 and which thus have not picked up the elastic yarn remain lowered. Thus the feed A operates together with the feed of the yarn guide 43 which feeds the elastic yarn and subsequently the feed A2 operates. The cam 35 may be kept lowered, or raised for one revolution but not for successive revolutions in order to obtain a pattern in the elastic welt. If only the feed -A1 is lowered, elastic yarn is fed to each row of stitches, while if the feed is lowered both at A1 and A2 and the cam 36 is kept raised, one row is formed with the elastic yarn followed by one row without the elastic yarn. FIGURE 3 illustrates the position assumed by the inserted cams (the non-inserted cams being dotted) relating to the formation of the elastic welt with two feeds, i.e. at A1 and A2.

Passing from the formation of the elastic welt to the formation of the after-welt and of the leg with the tuck stitch arrangement (see FIGURE 4) the cams'41, 42 and '45 are withdrawn, the cam 35 is kept in the lowered position, the cams 36 and 37 are raised, the yarn feeds A1, A2, 'A3, A4 and selection cams 39 and 40 are operative. Then rows of plain stitches are formed by the feeds A2 and A4. With the cam 33 and the feed A3 tuck stitches are formed by some needles, the needles being selected by the cams 39.

Similarly with the feed A1 and the cam 31 another row containing tuck stitches is formed, the needles being selected by the cams 40. The yarn guides will be lowered to effect the formation of stitches with the desired yarn and will be replaced in the eventof forming an after-welt having a thicker yarn than that used for the leg and again when forming the toe with a thicker yarn than that used for the leg. For the formation of plain stitches, the arrangement is that shown in FIGURE 5, wherein the cams 36 and 37 are both raised, the cams 39 inserted to raise all the needles, and cam 35 raised or all earns inserted. FIGURE 5 shows the arrangement in which the needles are raised by the cam 35; if however the needles are raised by the earns 40, the path of the butts is that shown by the chain dotted line.

In order to provide splicing similar to the splicing provided by the machines having one or two feeds, another yarn-guide may be introduced at one or two feed positions so as to knit in a second yarn with that of the existing yarn-guide to form a plating pattern.

To form a normal stocking, at the start of the welt, i.e., the formation of the lace, the arrangement is that provided in FIGURE 6, wherein the single feed A1 feeds yarn to alternate needles, the cams 40 being inserted so as to raise alternate needles. The cam 49 is inserted to lower the needles not raised by cams 40 and the cam 35 is raised to ensure that the raised needles are cleared and that they pick up the yarn at A1. The other earns 36, 37 in addition to the earns 39 are inoperative.

For the formation of the welt, the cams are arranged as shown in FIGURE 7 wherein all the four feeds are operative, all the cams 35, 36 and 37 are raised (immediately after the formation of the lace or initial welt) the earns 39 are inserted to raise all the needles and the earns 40 are arranged in such a way as to raise alternate needles. In this Way plain stitches are formed at all the feeds. The fed yarn will be relatively thick.

At the end of the welt formation, for connection to the lace or (after-) welt, the arrangement is that shown in FIGURE 8, wherein the cam 47 which lowers the needles not raised by the cams 40, is inserted in order to allow the insertion of the welt hooks (not shown). The arrangement of the other cams is similar to that of FIGURE 7.

For the formation of the after-welt and of the leg, or of plain stitches, the arrangement of the cams is the same as that provided for the formation of the welt (see FIG. 7) apart from the change of the yarn. For the formation of tuck stitches, the arrangement of the cams is similar to that illustrated in FIGURE 4 wherein the two sets of cams 39 40 effect a one-in-four selection, i.e., in each set of four consecutive needles, three needles are raised and the fourth is kept lowered in each cycle.

The cover or dial cap 54 of the needle cylinder is provided with two devices for clamping and cutting the yarn, each designed to act on the yarns of two adjacent feeds. For this purpose, (see FIGURE 9) the cover 54 is provided with a small spring 55, a pincer 56 and scissors or shears 57,'which is controlled by a tie rod 58. Angularly displaced therefrom around the cover is a second device comprising a spring 59, a pincer 60 and scissors 61 controlled by a second tie rod 62.

- meshes with gear 78 on shaft 76. Gear 78 meshes with a pinion 80 (FIGURE 12) which drives a rear shaft 121. The shaft 81 also carries a bevel gear 83, through which the needle cylinder 72 is driven. The shaft 121 drives cam 151, described below, for forming the reinforcement or splicing of the heel by introducing and withdrawing an additional yarn guide. A pin 85 mounted eccentrically on the gear 78 which is supported on the shaft 76 is connected to rod 86 to oscillate a sleeve 87. The sleeve 87 in turn has integral arms to which thrust rods 90 and 91 are pivoted at 88 and 89. The thrust rod 90 acts on a toothed wheel 92 which is fixed to a shaft 93 and which, through a set of gears 94, 95 and 96, rotates the rear drum 97 which. is the main cam drum of the machine, in such a way that the drum 97 is moved through a complete revolution during the formation of a stocking. The thrust rod 91 on the other hand acts on a ratchet wheel 99 (FIGURES l0 l2) which is freely rotatable on the shaft 93 and is fixed to a sprocket wheel 100 arranged to drive a chain 101 which is passed over idler sprocket wheels 100a, 1001] and 1000 which determine the configuration of the chain. Projections 101a are provided on the chain spaced apart according to the work to be performed and the projections 101a cyclically pass over the sprocket wheel 100. A sleeve 103 is freely movable on a shaft 102 arranged above the shaft 93 on the frame 71 and an arm 103a on the sleeve 103 is lifted with the passage of the projections 101a of the chain 101 on the sprocket w-heel 100 while an arm 1031; on the sleeve 103 keeps the thrust rod 90' raised from the gear 92 until the arm 103a has been lifted, so that the gear 92 is moved by the oscillatory thrust rod 90 only when a projection 101a acts on the arm 103a of the sleeve 103. A second sleeve 105 is mounted on the shaft 102 to drive in a known cyclic manner, through the thrust rod 106, a gear 107 (FIGURE 13) mounted on the shaft 93 to control the length of the stitch by axially moving the cylinder. The sleeve 105 is oscillated through an arm 108 integral therewith by a contact roller 109 on the arm which is urged resiliently into contact with the profile of a cam 110' which is mounted on the shaft 81. Accordingly the arm 108 effect an oscillation at each revolution of the needle cylinder 72. On the same shaft 102 there is also mounted a third freely oscillating sleeve 112 which through an integral arm 112a may be moved by the chain 101 through appropniate projections thereon similar to the projections 101a. This sleeve 112 through a second integral arm 112b is arranged to act on a lever 113 which is mounted for oscillation on a support 114 and which through its own upper extension is arranged 113a to act on the oscillatory arm 108 of the sleeve 105. When a projection carried by the chain 101 is brought up to the arm 112a of the sleeve 112, the lever 113 is stressed in such a way as to lift the roller 109 of the arm 108 from the earn 112 thus stopping the oscillation of the arm 108.

On a rear structure 71a of the main frame 71 of the machine is :mounted the shaft 121 (see FIGURES l5-18) which is rotated by the gear 80 through one revolution for each revolution of the needle cylinder. The structure 71a also forms around the shaft 121 a sheath 71b which is provided with a slot 122. A tubular member 123 shaped at the right-hand end (with respect to FIGURE 15) with a helical profile, is mounted freely on the sheath 71b. A second tubular member 124 is mounted adjacent the member 123 on the same sheath 71b and is provided with a helical profile equivalent and complementary to that of the member 123. The matched helical profiles are indicated by 125. By means of a screw 126a longitudinally slidable in the slot 122 the member 124 is held against rotation and is restricted to sliding axially on the sheath 711). On the other hand the tubular member 123 is rigidly fixed to a sleeve 126 fitting around the member 123, the sleeve 126 being rigidly attadhed to an encircling gear 127 provided with a smooth portion 127a, that is without any teeth. A ratchet arm 128 acts on the gear .127 and is pivoted to the oscillating arm 108 (FIG- 7 URE 13), which moves with the frequency of the needle cylinder. Thus the gear 127 and therefore the tubular member 123 are moved intermittently through a predetermined angle at. each revolution vof the needle cylinder until the smooth portion 127:: (FIGURES 16 and 17) of the gear 127 comes into coincidence with the claw 128a of the ratchet arm 128. A second sleeve 130 is freely movable on the sleeve 126 and this second sleeve 130 carries a gear 131. This gear 131 is driven by a gear 132 (FIGURE 16) integral with a gear 133 forming part of a gear train 133, 134, 135 (FIGURE 13) carried by an oscillatory support 136 in such a way as to derive rotational motion from the main cam drum 97, which is provided with a geared rim for this purpose and which may be coincident with the geared rim 96 driving it. The gear 131 turns through one revolution during the formation of each stocking while the gear 127 rotates much faster during the period of time during which the splicing is formed, for example in the heel. In order to set the gear :127 in motion when this is located with the smooth portion 127a under the claw 128a of the ratchet arm 128, a pin 140 is provided on the gear 131 and this pin is designed to act on a small spring 141 provided on the side of the gear 127. When during the slow rotation of the gear 131, the pin 140 contacts the spring \141, the gear 131 also entrains the gear 127 in a slow rotation until the claw 128a ceases to slide on the portion 127a of the gear 127 and begins to engage the teeth of the gear. In this way, the relatively slow rotation of the gear 127 begins and this rotation carries on approximately for a complete revolution until the portion 127a returns under the claw 128a of the ratchet arm .128. The spring 141 having in this way passed the pin 140, returns into position to receive the thrust of the pin 140 again after a complete formation cycle of the stocking. The rotation of the gear 127 keeps on for a sufficient length of time for the splicing to be formed. The rotation of the gear 127 through one revolution also rotates the tubular member 123 through one revolution and in this way it urges the tubular member 124 by reason of the contacting helical profiles, to slide axially to the right as viewed in FIGURE 15 until, after a complete revolution, when the gear 127 is about to be stopped, the tubular member 124 trips to the left through the distance over which it had been gradually moved during the rotation of the gear 127. The member 124 is designed to act on an adjusting ring 144 which is mounted in a sleeve member 145 by means of a screw connection (see FIGURE 15) permitting axial adjustment of the ring, the sleeve member 145 being slidable on the shaft 121 and also connected to rotate therewith through a pin 146 which slides in a pair of slots 147 out in the shaft 121 adjacent an axial hole 148 at the end thereof. In the hole 148 a spring 149 is housed and this spring acts between an end plug 150 and the pin 146 in such a way as to stress the whole assembly 145, 144 resting against the outer circular end of the tubular member 124, and also stress the member 124 to contact the member 123 to effect the above-mentioned return of the member 124. A tubular earn 151 provided with a recess 151a having a desired profile for the splicing formation is located on the alcove 145. For control purposes, a suitable brake 152 is provided on the gear 127. The operation of this device will hereinafter be described.

Some of the cams of the drum 97 and the cam 151 are designed to control the members mounted on the platform 73 surrounding the needle cylinder 72. For this purpose, tappet members of two different types cooperate with the drum 97. One type of tappet for direct control includes a thrust rod 155 (FIGURE 18) which is appropriately guided on the frame and which is engaged directly by the corresponding cam of the drum 97 and directly acts on members borne by the frame surrounding the needle cylinder. In particular one of the thrust rods 155 (see especially FIGURES 14 and 18) acts on one of the yarn-guides 156 which are located in the conventional rear position with respect to the needle cylinder. These yarn-guides are formed by levers oscillating around a common pivot 157. Five such yarn-guides 156 are located at the A1 feed position as shown in FIGURE 19 and can all be controlled by thrust rods like the thrust rod 155. On the pivot 157 of the yarn-guides 156, there is also provided a lever ,158 whose inner end 158a is designed to act on a cam 159a provided in the sinker cam ring i160 surrounding the upper part of the needle cylinder (also FIGURE 24). As shown in the drawing, two cams 1590, 159b, are provided, one of which is controlled by the lever 158.

Cam drum 97 (see FIGURE 14) operates the tappets, one of which is denoted by 163. Each tappet is pivoted as at 164 and forms a rocker arm to which one end of the flexible cable 165 is fixed. Cable 165 slides in a sheath 165a: and serves to carry out various operations which will be hereinafter described.

Some of the members connected with the yarn-guide system and the cam system required for the operation of this four feed position machine will now be described. As shown in FIGURES 14, 19, 20 and 25 the stationary annular structure 166, which is pivoted at :173 to be raised from the needle cylinder, carries by means of a bracket 167 (FIGURE 25), the shaft 168 which controls the rotation of the cam plate for the welt hooks 169 and being in turn controlled in a known manner by a shaft 170 (FIGURE 10), operated by a pair of bevel gears 171. The annular structure 166 which \is pivoted at 173 to a support 174, mounted on the circular platform 73 is provided in addition to the extension 166a on which the yarn-guides 156 (FIGURE 14) and the lever 158 are pivoted at 157, with three other extensions 166b, 166e, 1660? to pivotally support other yarn guides. In particular, the extension 166b (FIGURES l9 and 20) pivotally supports at 181 three yarn-guides 182 which are urged into the lowered position by springs 182a, while they are lifted from the lowered position to withdraw the yarn by means of levers 183 which engage under the yarnguides and are pivoted at 184 to a turret support 185 mounted on the circular platform 73. The levers 183 are controlled by flexible cables 186 which slide in sheaths 187 fixed to an extension 1850: of the support 185. The cables 186 are controlled like the cables 165 and 165a, previously described, by the cam dnum 97. In addition, a bell crank lever 189 is pivoted at 188 to the support 185 and this lever .189 is controlled by a sheathed flexible cable 190 which is operated just like the flexible cables 186 and similarly to the flexible cables 165 of FIGURE 14. This lever 189 acts on an arm 192 integral with a pin 193 (FIGURE 21) which extends in the radial direction on the structure surrounding the needle cylinder and which carries at the inner end thereof a cam 194 angularly movable similarly to the cams 35, 36, 37 previously described. In this way, they are moved by the needle lifting levers in the way already described, against the force of'suitable return springs.

On the extension 166d of the annular structure 166 a second arrangement is provided having yarn-guides L196, this arrangement being equivalent to that supported by the suporting member 185 and described above.

Three yarn-guides 198 (FIGURE 20) are pivoted at 197 on the extension 1660 of the annular structure 166 and these yarn-guides are lifted against the action of the return springs 199 by means of levers 200 pivoted at 201 to a turret support 202. These levers 200 are moved by flexible cables 203 controlled in a manner to be described hereinafter. Another lever 204 (FIGURE 19) is pivoted to the same pivot pin 201 and is provided with an inner arm 204a which is bent to form an elbow and extends under one of the levers 20011 in such a way as to effect the lifting of the lever independently of the cable which directly controls the lever 200, for certain operations hereinafter described. Finally a lever 205 pivoted to the support 202 by the pin 206 is controlled by the flexible cable 207 in the manner hereinafter described, to act on one cam of the two cams 159 acting on the sinkers, the other of said cams 159a being controlled by the previously described lever 158a.

The yarn-guides 156, 182, 198, 196 respectively provide the four feeds mentioned above in relation to the theory of operation represented in FIGURES 1-8. The lever 189 pivoted to the support 185 and the lever 189a pivoted to the support 185a equivalent to that denoted by 185 for the yarn-guides 196, control the two pivoted cams 194, 194a (FIGURE 21), relating to the second and the fourth feeds. In order to form tuck stitching, to the rear of the feed obtained with the yarn-guides 182 and to the rear of the feed obtained with the yarn-guides 196, there are provided two sets 208, 209 of slide cams for raising the needles (FIGURES 21 and 23), equivalent to the cam sets 39, previously described. The cams 208 and the cams 209 are carried by pairs of supports 210 and 211 respectively, and are urged by springs 212 and 213 respectively towards the needle cylinder. The slide cams are, on the other hand, moved outwards into the inoperative position by means of hell crank levers 214, 215 respectively pivoted to supports 216, 216a extending upwardly from the circular platform 73. A set of rotary cams 217 and 218, which rotate in a continuous manner, are designed to control the insertion and withdrawal of the cams 208 and 209 respectively through the bell crank levers 214 and 215. Levers 214 and 215 may also be selectively, or simultaneously moved relative to rotary cams 217 and 218 respectively by identical actuating means 219 and 220 respectively. Since actuating means 219 and 220 are identical, it is thought that a description of actuating means 220 will sufiice. As shown in FIGURES 21 and 23, actuating means 220 includes a number of fins 220(a) and 220(1)) which are carried by coaxial shafts which are selectively rotatable by levers 223 and 224 respectively. Levers 223 and 224 are controlled by tie rods 225 and 226, which in turn are connected to two bell crank levers 227 and 228. The levers 227 and 228 are connected through tie rods 229 and 230 to levers 231 and 232 which are pivoted at 233 and form the tappets controlled by the cams of the main earn drum 97. The two fins 219 (FIGURE 21), coaxially arranged to act on the levers 214, are controlled in a similar manner. The sets of rotary cams 217 and 218 are rotated from a shaft 234 (FIGURE 22) which is rotated by a gear 235 meshing with a geared rim 236, arranged on the main shaft 81 controlling the needle cylinder. The shaft 234 drives the vertical shaft 217a of the cams 217 by means of a direct coupling formed by worm screw and gear coupling 237, while the shaft 218a of the rotary cams 218 is controlled by the gear 235 by means of a gear drive coupling 238 which drives a small shaft 239 perpendicular to the shaft 234 and coupled to the shaft 218a by means of a second worm screw and gear drive coupling 240. The control of the slide cams 208 and 209 is effected with one of the known systems used in circular machines for manufacture of stockings with tuck stitching. In addition, one of the sets of slide cams, in particular 209 is designed for the selection of the needles to form the welt.

Through the mechanism described above in relation to FIGURES 9-24 the hosiery article or fabric is formed in the manner described in relation to FIGURES 1-8, whilst there is provided, in the set of yarn-guides 156 and in the set of yarn-guides 198, a special yarn-guide for an additional yarn which is designed to form splicing with the usual yarn for example at the heel of a stocking. This splicing is formed by adding the splicing yarn to the normal yarn over a pre-determined arc of the needle cylinder and also in accordance with needle selection, by lowering the yarn-guide as the needles of this are arrive at the feed position for the splicing yarn and lifting the yarn-guide when the needles of this are, which must pick up the splicing yarn, have passed this feed position. In the arrangement shown, a splicing yarn is provided for at the feed position of the yarn-guides 156 and at the feed position of the yarn-guides 198, so that a splicing yarn "is located in alternate courses with a plain yarn in the'finished article. In order to control the raising and the lowering of that one of the yarn-guides 156 and 198 respectively, which has to carry the splicing yarn, the device already described and illustrated in detail in FIGURES 15, 16, 17 and 18, is designed for this function. For this purpose, the yarn-guide'156 designed for the splicing 'yarn, is controlled by the thrust rod (FIGURES 14 and 18). This rod is provided with a projection 155a, upon which a tappet 250 acts and is slidably guided in a housing 251 formed in a support 252 integral with the structure 71a of the machine frame. The tappet 250 is urged by a spring 253 towards the cam 151 already described, and is so arranged that it keeps the yarn-guide 156 for the splicing yarn raised until the tappet 250 enters the recess 151a of the cam 151. When this happens the yarn-guide is lowered and the splicing yarn is fed to the needles. The feed of this splicing yarn takes place over the entire arc corresponding to the length of the recess 151a. Independently of this motion imparted by the tappet 250, the yarn-guide 156 under consideration may also be controlled by the drum 97 which acts directly on the associated thrust rod 155. There is also provided a housing 256' for a second tappet 257 on the support 252, this second tappet 257 being acted upon by the cam 151 after the tappet 250', so that it is lowered after the lowering of the tappet 250 and raised again after the tappet 250 has been raised. The tappet 257 through a rod 258 (also see FIGURE 14) controls the lever 158, 158a for controlling the cam 159a which moves the sinkers inwardly for the purpose of slackening the stitch in the length wherein the reinforcementor splicing is formed. Through this arrangement, and by means of the tappet 257, the sinkers are inserted after the introduction of the supplemental or splicing yarn through the control operated by the tappet 250 to effect a more regular formation of the article in the splicing area. Also the tappet 257 may be withdrawn from operation by a rod such as the thrust rod 155 always operated by the drum 97, the rod carrying a bracket 260 adapted to act on a lateral pin 261 extending out of the rod 258.

In addition to the yarn supplied by one of the yarnguides .156, a supplementary, or splicing yarn is supplied by one of the yarn-guides 198, and a second pair of tappets 263, 264 equivalent to the tappets 250, 257 are arranged to co-operate with the cam 151. For this purpose, a member 265 is adjustably mounted on the support 252, for instance by means of screws 266. The member 265 forms two housings forthe two tappets 263 and 264 respectively, which are arranged in the same sequence as the two previous tappets and at an angular distance from these tappets relative to the cam 151 corresponding to the angular distance between the feed effected with the yarn-guides 156 and the feed effected with the yarnguides 198. The tappet 263, through a stirrup 267 controls the sheathed flexible cable 203 which in turn controls the lever 200a (see FIGURE 19), pivoted tocontrol one of the yarn-guides 198. Similarly the tappet 264, through the stirrup 269, controls the flexible cable 207 acting on the lever 205, previously described, which in turn acts on the cam 15912 in a way equivalent to that in which the lever 158, controlled by the tappets 257,258 acts on the other cam 159a. With this arrangement a feed of the supplementary or splicing yarn is effected with the required displacement between the 'first'and the third feed along the same needles, and thus in the same zone of the fabric. The length of the are over which the splicing yarn is fed in the two feed positions to form splicing under the control of the tappets 250, 257 and 263, 264 is varied during the formation of the article since the cam .151, besides rotating one revolution for each revolution of the needle cylinder, advances in the axial direction by reason of the movement imposed on the units 151, 145, 144by the'axial movement of the tubular memher 124 caused by the slow rotation of the tubular member 123 under the eifect of the relative sliding of the helical profiles 125. As in the different axial sections, the length of the recess 151a of the cam 151 varies with the progressive axial displacement of the cam 151, it is possible to obtain a variation of the arc of needles which receive the splicing yarn. The profile of the reinforcement or splicing will be determined by the development of the profile of the recess 151a of the cam 151, so that variation of this profile must be determined through displacement of the cam 151. The height of the splicing may be varied by varying the time over which the splicing yarn is fed. This is done by controlling the operation of tappets 250, 257, 263, 264 by means of thrust rod 155 which rides on cam drum 97 and which carries stirrup 155a which coacts with tappet 250 and bracket 260 which coact with tappet 257 whereby when bracket 260 is raised the associated cam 1591; is withdrawn. In order to effect the withdrawal from operation of the tappets 263 and 264 simultaneously with the withdrawal of the tappets 250, 257 already described, a flexible cable control from the cam drum 97 (FIGURE to the lever 204 may be provided to keep the lever 200a raised and thus render void the action of the tappet 263 which through the cable 203 and lever 200a controls that one of the yarn guides 198 which supplies the splicing yarn. In order to overcome the operation of the tappet 264 there is provided a linkage operated from the bracket 260 to act on the tappet 264; the linkage comprising a rod 273, a rocker arm 274 pivoted to the support 252, and a rod 275 which is forked at its lower end and fits on the rod of the tappet 264 so as to withdraw the tappet from the cam 15.1 when the bracket 260 is raised.

The assembly of members for forming the splicing, for example, in the region of the heel, is completed by a system for cutting the yarn when a yarn-guide for the splicing yarn is raised out of operation. This device is designed to reduce to a minimum the length of the free ends of splicing yarn in order to avoid subsequent cutting operations. To effect this, an extension 301 (see FIGURES to 31) is provided on the annular structure 166, pivoted at 173 to the support 174, a cranked lever 303 is pivoted at 302 to the extension 301 and this lever 303 is controlled by a curved thrust rod 304, also operated by the cam drum 97, similarly to the thrust rods 155. Lever 303 is adapted toengage a pin which is carried by a suction tube 306 and whichpasses through a slot in sheath 307 whereby reciprocation of lever 303 raises and lowers tube 306. Tube 306 is connected at its upper end to a flexible tube 308 which is designed to create a partial vacuum in tube 306. At its lower end, tube 306 is provided with an enlarged mouth 306a, which is splayed at its lower end above the hook of the needles 310, and is located between the position at which the needles pick up the splicing yarn and the position at which the yarn is knitted. The mouth 306a is advantageously formed with two lips which extend downwardly. At the knitting position, means are provided which can be inserted to cut the yarn, such means preferably comprising a small electrical resistance wire 312. Both the resistance 312 and the mouth 306a are inserted in their active positions when the splicing is formed with the splicing yarn which is carried, for instance, by the yarn-guide 156a (see FIG- URES 26 to 28). Immediately before starting the operation of the splicing yarn-guide 156a, under the control of the cam drum 97, the assembly 306, 306a is lowered by the thrust rod 304 placing the mouth 306a in its operational position. The lever 303 (FIGURE 25) is also lowered and, by means of a tie rod 314, depresses the lever 315, which is pivoted at 315a (FIGURE 30) on a support 316 arranged on the annular structure .166. The lever 315 carries an element 318 pivoted at 317 about a vertical axis and this element 318 carries a small block of insulating material 318a. A pair of terminals 319, conn-ected totwo small bars '320 (FIGURES 27 and 31) bearing the resistance 312, are mounted on this small block of insulating material 318a. The arrangement is such that when the lever 303 is raised to withdraw the assembly 306, 306a from the operational position, the lever 3.15 is also raised about the pivot 315a of the support 316, to move the resistance 312 radially towards the outside of the operational zone of the needles. Similarly when the lever 303 is lowered, the mouth 306a is lowered into the operational position and the resistance 312 is inserted immediately above the knitting zone of the needles. It is to be noted that should a needle, owing to an irregularity or a breakdown of a butt, remain raised, it strikes against the resistance 312 and its supports 320, rotating the assembly 312, 320, 318 around the vertical pivot 317 in such a way as to move the whole assembly without serious damage to the members, both of the assembly and of the needle cylinder.

Through this arrangement, when a splicing yarn ceases to be picked up by the needles because the yarn-guide has been raised, a length of yarn (indicated by 322 in FIGURE 26) extends between the yarn-guide 156a and the last needle which has picked up the yarn. After the latter has knitted the yarn, the length 322 of the yarn is brought up to, and cut by the heated resistance wire 312 while it is between the two lips of the intake mouth 306a by suction.

In order to facilitate the pick-up of the yarn by the needles when the yarn-guide 156a is lowered, a small forked member 324 (see FIGURES 26 to 28) is provided at the end of the yarn-guide 156a to engage the yarn, and thus lowers the yarn in such a way that the yarn issuing out of the hole of the yarn-guide 156a and engaged by the fork 324 is inserted between the needles, and is firmly grasped thereby. This arrangement allows the splicing yarn to be knit-in with a minimum length of free yarn extending from the knitted fabric.

The resistance 312 may be heated as needed under the control of a suitable switch, operated by the thrust rod 304.

A device like that described above for cutting the yarn of feed A3 is also provided adjacent yarn-guide 198 as the operation of this device is controlled through a flexible cable extending from a tappet controlled by a cam of the drum 97. -In this way both in the first and in the third feed positions the splicing yarn is fed, cut and picked up as described above.

When only one of the feeds is operative, and in particular the feed corresponding to the yarn-guides 156 (in particular for the start of the welt) and until the feeds are started with one of the yarn-guides 182, 198 and 196, there is provision for avoiding the outwardly directed movement of the sinkers adjacent the three temporarily inoperative feeds. Therefore, while the profile of the cam inside the ring 160 is fixed in the zone 330 (FIGURE 24) adjacent the yarn-guides 156, adjacent the three inoperative feeds, the profile 331 is interrupted and a number of movable cams are inserted which are simultaneously operable. These movable cams 332a, 332b, 3320, are pivoted at 333a, 333b, 3330, respectively, in such a way that when they are moved radially inwardly they align themselves with the circular profile 331, in such a way that the sinkers are only withdrawn at the part 330 of the profile, this occurring when a single feed by the yarn-guides 156 at the start of the fabric is effected. The cams 332 are moved radially outwardly withdrawn as shown in broken lines in FIG. 24, when a yarn feed 182, 198 or 196, at the respective feed station is operative. For the simultaneous control of these cams in the aforesaid positions, an arcuate element 334 is provided above the annular structure 160 and this element is circumferentially slidable, being guided by supports 335 and 335a on the ring 160. The element 334 is provided respectively with inclined slots 336a, 336b, 336c. Pins 337a, 337b, 3370, integral re- 

1. A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF STOCKINGS COMPRISING: A MAIN CAM DRUM REVOLVING ONCE DURING THE FORMATION OF EACH STOCKING, A CONTINUOUSLY ROTATABLE NEEDLE CYLINDER, NEEDLES AND NEEDLE JACKS SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CYLINDER, FOUR YARN GUIDES COOPERATING WITH FOUR FEED STATIONS, FOUR STATIONARY STITCH CAMS, ONE AT EACH YARN FEED STATION, MOVABLE CLEARING CAM MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID STITCH CAMS RESPECTIVELY, TO SELECTIVELY CLEAR THE NEEDLES OR PERMIT THEM TO FAIL TO CLEAR FOR TUCK STITCH FORMATION, TWO OF SAID CLEARING CAM MEANS COMPRISING A GROUP OF SLIDER CAMS SLIDABLE RADIALLY OF THE NEEDLE CYLINDER TO ACT ON THE BUTTS OF SAID NEEDLE JACKS, SAID GROUPS OF SLIDER CAMS BEING SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHER CIRCUMFERENTIALLY OF THE NEEDLE CYLINDER BY OTHER OF SAID MOVABLE CLEARING CAMS, A SINKER CAM TRACK HAVING A RADIAL DEVIATION CORRESPONDING TO EACH FEED STATION, MEANS CONTROLLED BY SAID MAIN CAM DRUM AND CONTROLLING SAID CLEARING CAM MEANS TO SELECT NEEDLES FOR TUCK STITCH FORMATION BY SAID SLIDER CAMS AT ALTERNATE FEED STATIONS AND TO SELECT ALL NEEDLES FOR PLAIN STITCH FORMATION AT THE INTERMEDIATE FEED STATION WHEREBY FOUR COURSES, ALTERNATING BETWEEN PLAIN AND TUCK STITCHES, ARE FORMED DURING EACH REVOLUTION OF THE NEEDLE CYLINDER, PIVOTED CAMS IN SAID SINKER TRACK AT THREE OF THE FOUR FEED STATIONS, SAID CAMS MOVABLE BETWEEN AN OPERATIVE POSITION DEFLECTING THE SINKERS INTO THE ASSOCIATED DEVIATION AND AN INOPERATIVE POSITION PERMITTING SAID SINKERS TO TRAVEL WITHOUT DEFLECTION AT THE ASSOCIATED FEED STATION, MMEANS PIVOTING SAID CAMS TO INOPERATIVE POSITION WHEN ALL OF THE FEED GUIDES AT THE ASSOCIATED STATION ARE WITHDRAWN, A COMMON OPERATOR FOR SAID THREE CAMS, SAID OPERATOR COMPRISING AN ARCUATE MEMBER HAVING SLOTS THEREIN INCLINED RELATIVE AN ARCUATE MEMBER HAVING SLOTS THEREIN INCLINED RELATIVE TO SAID TRACK, AND UPON ARCUATE MOVEMENT OF SAID OPERATOR, SAID THREE PIVOTED CAMS ARE ACTUATED SIMULTANEOUSLY. 